Detroit Industrial Report

Mass Economics collaborated with Interface Studios and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City to create a comprehensive industrial strategy for the City of Detroit. The team first assessed the city’s industrial land and infrastructure assets and challenges by performing an onthe-ground survey of Detroit’s 11K+ acres of industrially zoned land – measuring land use, vacancy, building condition, and underutilization. As part of this work, Mass Economics staff identified the core employment districts throughout the city that could house the city’s future job growth. Following this assessment, the team examined opportunities for Detroit’s primary industrial clusters: automotive; metals; transportation, distribution, and logistics; and construction, demolition, engineering, and repurposing. Based on these collected data and constructed, cluster-specific employment densities and building, site, and location requirements (e.g. highway, rail, port access), the strategy also outlined recommendations for turning land into an economic asset through repurposed land utilization, infrastructure investments, and alignment with cluster recommendations. The final report contains a detailed assessment of each cluster as well as strategies for strengthening and supporting industrial activity in Detroit.